PARA Meeting Minutes 12/12/2007

In attendance: Phil, Tim, Jim, Karl, Ken

1.    Congratulations to Dean Sheaffer on obtaining his Level 3 Certification and for being able to find the same rocket 4 times.

2.    The membership form has been redone to include the liability waiver.  Everyone should fill this out and sign it every year starting in 2008.

3.    We will have a research (EX) launch March 1^st or 2^nd and we sill have our regular launch on which ever of those days isn’t the research launch.  I will be discussing research safety and propellant making at our next meeting which is February 12^th.

4.    Tim will obtain new clips for the low power pads and Karl will install them.

5.    We could use a 6’ by 10’ trailer to store and haul our equipment.  Phil will check to see what one costs.

6.    The club will look into selling hats, t-shirts, and jackets to raise money to pay for the trailer and the rocket retrieval pole.

7.    Ken suggested that we go to large launches as a club and setup near each other.  Everyone thought this is a good idea so we’ll try to do that at future launches.

8.    People are looking for a local hobby shop that stocks small motors, kits and parts.  If anyone knows of any LOCAL hobby shops that fit the bill, let us know.  If you can wait to have things shipped,, Al’s works with us and we should try to support them.

Phil Stein

PARA Chapter meeting 8/14/2007

 In attendance: Phil, Dean, Tim, Mark, Barry, Chuck, Jim

 Topics of discussion:

      1)                  Phil discussed NAR discussion board recommendation for having multiple signatories on accounts.  It was agreed that this was a good idea. 

2)                  Our bylaws also do not mention the process for removing directors or officers for cause.  It was determined that this is not necessary at this time since it has never been necessary in the past and that officers are re-elected each year.

3)                  The pole is working out great…3 rockets were recovered at the last launch and brought in a new member.

4)                  Tim noted that our launch conflicts with METRA’s launch and proposed moving our launch date to an alternative weekend.  We will consider this topic further after reviewing other launch calendars etc.

5)                  Dean discussed the possibility of alternative fields.  Dean will do some more research; any field would be in addition to the existing field.

6)                  Phil discussed the perceived need to have signed waivers from members.  It was agreed that new members will have to sign a waiver.  Existing member will be required to sign waivers upon renewal in January.

7)                  Phil showed a very cool fiberglass only system he was working with to develop future airframes.

PARA Meeting Minutes October 25, 2006

Meeting held at Wilsey Tool Company - Thanks to Tim Wilsey for making his conference room available.

Discussion points:

1. Tim Wilsey has recovered quite a few rockets from the trees surrounding our field.  Although Tim is willing to help people with retrieval, Tim is not always at our launches.  It was suggested that the club purchase a fiberglass pole like the one Tim has.  Tim's pole can be extended to 40' and is around 6' long when collapsed.  Tim will get us ordering information so that the club can obtain a pole like his.  According to Tim, it will cost $300-$400.  Next, we discussed how to finance the pole.  It was agreed that we could buy one with funds in our treasury and that we would replace those funds with 50/50 drawings.  We would also hope that people that benefit from the use of the pole will donate toward its cost.  We expect to spend a substantial amount of our existing funds on a new launch system.  We discussed how easily fiberglass poles can be broken.  Another rocketry club has one that was broken by an unknown member.  The problem was not discovered until the next person went to use it.  We will need to come up with a system to prevent this from happening to us.  If someone breaks it, we will expect them to pay for a new one.  We will only allow adults to use the pole.  Remember it is 40' long.  It takes skill to use it.

2. Fire suppression was discussed.  Karl Wagenseller said he had a few fire extinguishers that he could donate to the club.  These extinguishers can be refilled by adding water and then charged with a standard air hose.  Thanks to Karl for the donation.

3. We was agreed that we will have meetings every three months.  The next meeting will be late January.

4. Karl is unable to make it to for the first Sunday this month so out next launch will be November 12th.

5. The current situation with the lawsuit against ATFE was discussed.  Under out LEUPs, Tim and I will do what we can to help people fly restricted motors.  There are several legal ways to do this.  If you need help, let one of us know.  The earliest that I expect a resolution to the situation is late 2007.  Note that I said earliest. 

6. There was some discussion on the requirements for obtaining a LEUP.  Tim showed the attendees what his magazine looks like.

7. We discussed adding a more visible Launch System Armed indicator to our launch system.  Barry Riggins has been kind enough to obtain and donate a 4" red flashing strobe light to go on top on the launch system's relay box.  It will be installed in the next few months.

8. We discussed the fact that we anticipate an increase in the number of youth groups attending out launches.  We will be happy to have them.  We will educate their leaders to help reduce strain on our equipment and volunteers.

9. We discussed getting a trailer for the equipment we've accumulated as we've grown.  It was agreed that it would be a good idea but due to the cost, it is being postponed for the time being.

Phil Stein

PARA Meeting Minutes 13-July-2003

Meeting held at the Cactus Grill right after the launch.

 Suggestions made to Chuck or mentioned at the meeting:

 1: Post a summary of club financial transactions on the web site.

Financial transactions are discussed at club meetings. Meeting minutes are posted to the web. If anyone wants more details, they should contact Treasurer Ed Romani directly. 

2. How about an online membership renewal system that could take Visa or PayPal?

Such a system would put us at the cutting edge of NAR clubs, but this would come at a very high price. We would need a secure server to accept credit cards, which would be pricey to rent/purchase and maintain. Accepting PayPal would have similar problems, plus PayPal would keep a (small) portion of the transaction, meaning less money for the club. Currently we plan to stick with the system we have now (cash, checks, money orders.)

3. How about EX launches at the PARA field?

Two things make EX launches hard to do: NAR regulations and insurance. NAR only permits flights with NAR approved motors, which excludes EX motors. We could switch to Tripoli, which does allow EX flights (and insures EX as well.) However, Tripoli has some rules about EX flights which would be difficult for us. All EX flights have to be separated from ‘regular’ launches by at least 12 hours. This means we would have to have two separate launches per month. Do we really want to try to get permission from the farm owner for two separate launches per month? Being Tripoli members would also be more expensive than NAR.

4. How about a night launch?

We could gauge the interest from club members. A night launch might not be possible to get a waiver for. They could also attract unwanted attention.

5. Allow two launches as a non-member before joining PARA.

Currently we do not require flyers to be PARA members to fly with us. It is proposed that we allow flyers to attend two launches as non members before we require PARA membership. This would give potential members time to try us out before committing. Some clubs require membership before flying. There is also a question of insurance coverage for non-PARA/non-NAR members that fly with us. Can we offer a one month membership to get these flyers under our insurance?

6. DVR

It would be nice to revive the DVR newsletter, possibly as a handout to be given to potential members.

Financial Statement

PARA Meeting Minutes 4-Feb-2003

Present at meeting (at Chuck Arkens’ home): Phil Stein, Chuck & Wes Rudy, Ed Romani, Russ Miller, Steve Terrell and Chuck Arkens

 Secretary’s Report

 Membership: A total of seven members have yet to renew their dues. Both e-mail and letters were mailed, but not much of a response was generated from this. Most are probably waiting to renew at their next launch. A list will be prepared before each launch so we can collect dues at the launch.

 Treasurer’s Report

Current balance is $866. Most of this will be used up for new launch system.

DVR Report

The DVR is currently not being published. Most information is available online. The DVR can be a web page as well, but it might be hard to maintain. The value of the old DVR was as a hand out to new members. Jon Rose is our DVR editor and still hopes to get out an issue sometime in future.

Web Page Editor’s Report

The membership list will be kept current on the website. Phil needs a new membership list from the secretary.  Phil can post stuff from other members if they feel it belongs on the website (HTML preferred.) Launch reports may be a good addition to the site. Chuck may also add the launch reports to his e-mail messages to the members.

Old Business

Previous version and new revisions of Bylaws have been posted to the web site.

New launch system: The pad boxes have a bug that needs fixing. Everything else is done. The cost is expected to be between $700 and $900.  The current launch box is being modified by Phil Stein to correct a recharging problem. .

PARA sign: At the last meeting we discussed having a sign to place at the farm entrance to help new members find the launch site, and to generate interest in general. Chuck will follow up on this.

New Business

A new rail launch system is being built. The old rail is prone to flexing, and is not well supported. The new rail will be 6’ high, which is 2’ higher than the current rail.

Field safety and regulations: previous safety issues have caused some concern. At launches, everyone must follow all safety regulations, and no one will have the authority to override the LCO.

Dues: the treasurer and the secretary will work on a new yearly dues schedule. We will move to a system where everyone’s dues are due on the same day, as opposed to the current system where each member’s dues are to be paid yearly on their membership month.

BATF regulations: there was a lot of discussion on how upcoming BATF regulations will affect the club, the members, and our launches. Above 62.5 grams of propellant will require LEUP. Dealers and manufacturers will be the most affected. The laws will not be enacted until May.

East Coast Hobby Show: Everyone agreed that we should have a presence at the annual East Coast Hobby Show. Ed will make some phone calls, and see what needs to be done to obtain a table. It was suggested that we include other clubs if there is a make it/take it table. We may need some display rockets.

 Launches: The club used to have eggloft, duration events, etc… There does not seem to be much interest now. We could hold some events in the future.

 Workshops: The idea of having a workshop to teach new skills and techniques was proposed. Russ will work out the details and a possible date.

 Post Business Meeting Activity

Chuck Rudy showed a video of launches from last year. Excellent.

Minutes of 8/6/02 Meeting

Secretary's Report:

• The membership list is out of date and inaccurate. Some of the membership expiration dates are inaccurate. Chuck will see if a better version of the membership list is available. Steve T. will go through the original membership forms and compare them to the list. 
• The idea of pro-rating the membership from year to year was discussed. Everyone would renew their membership at the end of the year.
• It was decided to keep the current membership rate of $20/year.

Treasurer's Report:

• $200 was donated to the farmer in June, but this was already reflected in the beginning balance.
• Opening balance of $699.44. A new checking account was opened at Fox Chase. The bank account is under the PARA name, is free, and we have 1,000 free checks. 
• $56 was collected at the farm for the 6/30 launch.
• One new member was added, and Bill Sullivan renewed.
• $68 was collected at the August 4 launch, bringing the balance up to $863.44.
• $15 was spent for  a T-shirt for John DeMar
• Current balance is $858.44.  $200 was donated to the farmer in June, but this was already reflected in the beginning balance.

Delaware Valley Rocketeer:

• There are lots of great ideas for articles.
• We need volunteers to write a few for the DVR.
• A discussion was held whether we should print and mail a hard copy of the DVR, or publish it online.
• A $77 expense for the DVR dated Jan. 4th 2002 needs to be accounted for.

Web Page Report:

• Web page looks good.
• Phil needs an updated membership list as well.

Old Business:

• Steve T. will inventory the PARA hats and patches.
• The NE Hobby Show was attended by several PARA members.  The make-it-and-take-it booth was successful. It was good to meet members from other clubs and industry reps (Quest.) It would be good to have more members attend in the future. 
• Elections were held. The turnout was not high, but enough to validate the election.

New Business:

• Equipment status:
  • Phil is in the process of having a new launch controller designed and built. The prototype is being built in New York. A pad selector/continuity buzzer will be in one unit that can handle up to 16 pads. The unit can be expanded to handle more pads. One LED for each pad to show continuity. Continuity can also be checked at the pad to prevent problems with bad igniters. Cost to the club is estimated to be in the $700 range.
  • Our rail launcher does not lock into place well. We need to design a more secure tilt mechanism for it. Some minor rail whip has been observed.
• Dues and Field Donations: Is our $20 membership fee comparable to other clubs? Should we charge more to fly H power engines? We need to enforce better collection of field fees, perhaps through the use of name tags.
• Field Safety:
  • To fly full H power motors we need to be 1500' from any occupied building. On our field this puts us close to the tree line.
  • We also need to be careful with the aiming of our rockets in windy conditions.
  • Are spectators far enough away? Yes, according to current safety regulations.
• By Laws: Chuck has modified the by-laws to add the Web Editor to the executive board. Chuck will send to the membership for review.
• Willow Grove Air Show: Can we do a demo launch at the Willow Grove air show? This idea is being pursued.
• Sign: Chuck will look into building a PARA sign to put outside the field entrance.

Minutes of 2/5/02 Meeting

A meeting of PARA members was held on Feb. 5, 2002 at the home of Chuck Arkens.  Eleven members were present [Phil and Zach Stein, Bill Nolthenius, Rob and Rob Roberts, Chuck and Wes Rudy, Dave DuHaime, Ed Romani, Ray D’Ambrosio and Chuck Arkens].  This was the first “physical” meeting that we have had for a long time, with  business being conduct via E-mail during this time.  Bill Noltheinus gave a Treasure’s Report.  Our current balance ending 2/5/02 was $722.28. A bill for $116.84 was submitted after the meeting by Phil Stein for modifications made to our launch controllers.  Dues were discussed and it was agreed that our current rates, $20 for adults and $10 for juniors, should not be changed.  We also ask for a donation at the field for the farm owner.

 Equipment was discussed.  Even with modification made by Phil Stein, the system still has some glitches.  Phil and Dave DuHaime will work together to improve system.  We need improved connections to the battery.  It was agreed that with our main launch rack and three separate pads, our launch capability currently is adequate.

Field safety and procedures – It was agreed that igniters can be put into rockets when they are prepped.  However, if anyone has low voltage igniters, they should install them at the pad.  At our launches, very few use such igniters.  It was emphasized that any new flyers at our field should be fully briefed on our safety procedures.  This will be implemented at launches.  Although Phil installed a brighter light on relay box indicating if contact switch is on or off, which can be seen from launch table, it was suggested that a larger light and switch be located on top of box which is visible to everyone at launch pads. Phil will implement this feature.

Insurance coverage was discussed.  It was agreed that everyone using engines higher than D must be a paid up PARA member.  NAR membership / insurance is recommended for this group and it will be required for any Level 1 flights.

Our web page was mentioned and it was agreed that Phil is doing a great job.  The main request here is for information  which Phil can include-articles, pictures, etc.  Steve Decker is in the process of sending out a new copy of our  DVR newsletter (“Delaware Valley Rocketeer”).   It has  been about a year since our last DVR, where Steve had to step down for a while as editor due to a job conflict.  It was thought that the best usage of the DVR and our web page should be discussed in the future.

Election  procedures  were brought up.  In the past, cards were sent out to members for nominations and then separate cards for the final vote.  It was agreed that this can and should be done this year via E-mail.  Nominations will be made in May, final election by end of June and new terms begin July 1.  Chuck agreed to post our By-Laws on our web page.

After this “business” part of the meeting, Phil Stein spent time discussing several aspects of reloadables and a discussion of beepers.  Ray D’Ambrosio showed his Blackbird and also a rocket he is building which will take live video viewable from his truck.  Chuck Rudy then showed a DVD with shots from several of our 2001 launches-great shots with awesome background music.

Overall,  a great meeting.  We have to do it again.  While it was thought that monthly meeting are not necessary, periodic meeting, every two or three months, is desirable.  A date for the next meeting was not established.